Chapter 2242 - 2150: The Night Before the Wedding (Part 3)

Although she occasionally had a bit of a temper, she had never interfered in matters of the Imperial Court or the Imperial Harem. For her to insist like this, the Empress Dowager must have said something to her.

"No, the Empress Dowager is really nice. We get along very well, and she even told me to go keep her company and chat whenever I have time so she won’t be bored."

"Then what did she come here for?"

He stared steadily at her. Xia Weibao pressed her lips together, and all of a sudden her face flushed red. "She actually told me... told me to hurry up and give birth to a Crown Prince."

Lu Hualiang was taken aback; he hadn’t expected that answer.

This did sound like something the Empress Dowager would say.

"So how did you answer her?"

Meeting his half-smiling gaze, Xia Weibao’s face turned even redder; her head practically dropped into her bowl. "Answer what? This isn’t something I can just have because I want to."

Lu Hualiang precisely caught the two key words. "You want to?"

Xia Weibao, "..."

Was that what she meant? Could he not listen to the whole sentence?

"That’s not what I meant..."

"You don’t want to?"

Xia Weibao, "..."

Could they please talk properly.

She snuck a glance at him. "We’re not even married yet. Aren’t you thinking a bit too far ahead?"

Their names weren’t even on the marriage register yet, and he’d already jumped to having children. Was this man a little too anxious?

Lu Hualiang’s lips curved with a faint smile. He gently took her hand and clasped it tightly. "The wedding date has been set. It will be in ten days."

"That soon?"

Her reaction didn’t look like someone who couldn’t wait to be married. Lu Hualiang’s expression darkened again. "You think it’s soon?"

He already thought it was too slow; if he could, he’d marry her tonight!

"It is a bit. I’m not ready yet."

"What preparations do you need to make? The Ministry of Rites will take care of everything properly."

He raised a hand and gently stroked her head. "Remember you are the empress, the mother of the nation, above all others. You don’t have to do everything yourself. You only need to sit and let people serve you."

He had brought her into the palace so she could enjoy a life of ease, yet somehow she still seemed as if she were in the deep mountains and forests.

Xia Weibao nodded. It was just that she wasn’t used to it yet.

She’d lived outside for sixteen years, and had only entered the palace for how long now? Not even half a month.

A lot of habits couldn’t be changed all at once.

"I may be very busy during this period and won’t have time to accompany you. You must eat and sleep obediently; if you really can’t eat or can’t sleep, send someone to inform me."

His expression was solemn; he clearly had serious matters to deal with. Xia Weibao nodded.

She didn’t need him with her every moment. At the beginning, it was only because she had just entered the palace—everything was too unfamiliar and she was very unadapted.

He’d brought her into the palace and then simply tossed her aside and left, not asking after her at all, so of course she’d felt lonely.

Now that she knew he wouldn’t just abandon her, naturally she wouldn’t be unable to eat or sleep anymore.

Lu Hualiang watched her finish her meal, and that night he didn’t stay over.

He waited until she fell asleep before leaving in haste.

It was time to close the net.

There were still ten days before the wedding. Within these ten days, he would give her a peaceful, flourishing world!

Ever since that night, Xia Weibao had not seen Lu Hualiang again.

When she occasionally wandered around the Imperial Harem, she would hear some rumors: which minister had been thrown into prison, whose household His Majesty had confiscated, which official had his entire clan executed.

She didn’t know a single one of those officials, nor did she understand the affairs of the Imperial Court, but she could feel the suffocating tension pressing in.

The entire Imperial Harem seemed shrouded in a layer of dark clouds. Everyone was terrified and on edge; even when walking they were extra cautious, as if afraid that the bloody storms of the court would spill over into the harem.